Battleon Surface II: Return of the Mage of Despair
by Xenolord
Summary: It's been seven years since the Mage of Despair has made a comeback, and it's high time she did. Slight shoujoai. Takes place a little after the beginning bit of Nothing Like Frostvale. AxA, Romance, Comedy
1. Prologue

Disclaimer and Note: I do not own Artix Entertainment. This is my next entry into the Shoujo-ai chain story. First thing you'll notice, is the little word right there, Prologue. That means it's a full-length story. If ya'll are confused about how it'll fit in, just have patience. Oh, and Dark-Angel, let me finish this, please...

Battleon Surface! II: Return of the Mage of Despair

Prologue

Every Guardian in Battleon sat before their captain, Paladin Artix Von Krieger, the halls of the briefing room decked out for Frostvale. Everyone listened intently to Artix delive the daily news brief.

"Surprisingly, Frostvale promises to be very quite this year, Clawgs premitting." He inhaled deeply before continuing.

Serras sat near the back in the empty row, as she always did. Her feet were propped up on the back of the chair in front of her and she was relaxed. As she had done several more times in the past, the surrounding room began to fade away as she slipped into a comforting sleep.

-

She snapped awake right where she had fallen asleep. She blinked several times and shook her head.

"Hello, Serras. Sleep well?" A familiar voice asked.

"Yea, I did actually." She looked to her right, where the voice was coming from, and jumped. She saw that the voice's owner was... herself.

"What's wrong, dear?" The other Serras muttered, grinning maliciously. "Startled?"

"Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed and she sat up.

"Oh, come now, dear. You don't even recognize yourself... do you?"

"Whatever." She reached across and pushed her other self, and suddenly found herself sitting bolt upright in her seat, the room full.

"Serras, dear." Natalya muttered. "Could you please take your hand off the side of my face." Serras took her hand away from being pushed into Natalya's face. "Thank you." She muttered, kissing Serras. Natalya looked at the worried expression on her lover's face. "What's wrong, honey. You don't look good." She added.

"Huh? Oh, no. No, I'm fine. It's just... I've been having some really weird dreams recently. And, it's kinda disturbing." She glanced at Natalya's face which was a mix of confusion and concern. "Oh, don't worry. It's nothing that bad. Relax. I'm fine." Natalya was unconvinced. "Really. I'm fine." She kissed her, dispelling all concern.

Artix cleared his throat loudly drawing Serras and Natalya's attention. They pulled away from one another and looked at him.

"Ya know, as much as we all want to see that, please save it for a more appropriate time, ladies."

"Aw, come on, Captain! They were just getting to the interesting part! Let them continue!" Wolfblitzer smiled. Maria stood from her chair, grabbed it, and whacked the Guardian over the head. "OHMYGODI'VEBEENHITWITHACHAIR!" He shouted falling over.

"Umou, hentai baka!" Maria shouted, repositioning her chair and taking her seat. "Ashikarazu, Krieger Kyaputen." She finished, folding her hands in her lap. Artix looked completely stupified to what had just happened.

"Uh... anyone know what the hell she just said?" He asked a general question, a limp finger pointed at Maria. There came a silence across the room.

"Why is your sister speaking in Japanese?" Serras whispered to Natalya, who simply shrugged.

"It's Maria. Do you really need another reason then that?" Serras rolled her eyes.

"Right." Artix stretched out, retracting his finger. "With that, we are done. You are all dismissed." He flashed a salute, walking away from his podium. Everyone else stood and filed out.

-That night-

Serras unbuttoned her shirt, yawning loudly at the labors of the day behind. She had not been this tired in a while, years to be exact. Stripping down the her underwear, she slipped in bed next to Natalya. The two snuggled up and close to one another, as they had done many nights before. Their cares melted away, as they slipped into a deep, comforting sleep. A sleep which Serras would be robbed of.

"Serras. Hello? It's me! Remember me? You're old pal?" A voice hissed in her ear. She did her best to ignore it. "Come on! Don't think I don't remember you, Serras. It's me! The Mage of Despair!" The voice hissed again. Serras' eyes snapped open. "Yes... that's right. You remember, don't you. Why do you reject me, dear? Everything I've taught you, everything I've given you..."

"You haven't taught me anything, except how to be a cold-hearted bitch. You haven't given my anything except five hundred years of pain, agony and sadness. Why would I care about you?" She whispered, trying not to wake Natalya. The voice let out a raspy laugh, followed by a sigh.

"Oh, how little appreciated the gift of independence and freedom is. Tell me, Serras. Are you happy right now?" It asked.

"Yes! I am! And I won't let you get in the way of that!" She shouted back. Natalya didn't move.

"Don't lie to me, dearest! I know your true feelings! You long for it! You yearn for the power! Power only I can give you! Go on, Serras. Touch me. Touch me, and feel the power course through your body once more! And together I can free you from this life of servitude and slavery you have committed to.

"I don't want anything from you!" She shouted, sitting bolt upright. "I never want to hear from you again! I won't revert to how I was! I won't let you ruin my life, or the lives of those I care for!" Her voice dropped from the deadness of the room and fell with a silent thud upon deaf ears. After a pause, a deep, raspy laugh peirced the room and Serras' ears.

"You're lying. I can see into your mind, Serras dearest! You want many things! Power! Fame! Fortune!" There came a pause. "Children..."

"Stop it, STAY OUT OF MY HEAD! I didn't invite you here just so you could violate my privacy! I don't even want to hear about you of from of you as long as I live! You're a monster! You ruined my life! I won't let you ruin anyone else's!" She began to pace about the room, her cheeks beet red from anger. "I tried to smite you from my very existence, but it didn't work. I tried taking myself out of the picture, but it didn't work. Do not think for a second, I won't try it again. Only, if that time should come again, I WILL kill myself, if it will destroy you!" She yelled.

"Serras..." Natalya's voice droned groggily. "Who are you yelling at? And more importantly... why?" Serras didn't respond, simply scanned the room, sighed heavily and proceeded to walk to bed. Once there, she put her arm around Natalya's bare waist, kissed her good-night, then fell asleep. Comforted, but still slightly worried about her, Natalya, too went to sleep.


	2. Resurrection of Evil

Chapter One: Resurrection of Evil

With Frostvale right around the corner, most of Battleon was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Everyone was in an unusually jovial mood, even Zorbak, who could be seen building a snowman right in the middle of town.

"It's not a snowman!" He shouted when confronted by Maria and Natalya. "It's my first attempt at a disposable servant! Once he is complete, I shall animate him with my ebil magic, and I shall have the first ever Snow...Servant...Thingy..." He looked about, then grabbed the carrot from the ground, leapt into the air, and pushed the carrot into the snowman's head where the nose should be. "Yea..." He then took three pieces of dark rock from the ground and put them down the snowman's chest. "So leave me be! Foolish Humans..." Maria and Natalya laughed and continued on their way.

"Hey, sis..." Natalya started low and slow. Maria looked at her.

"What's up?"

"It's Serras... She's been acting weird recently... Last night, she woke up out of a dead sleep, yelling and screaming at someone for no reason at all. I didn't even know who she was shouting at. You know me, I'm a pretty hardy sleeper. She was shouting so loud, she woke me up. She said 'I tried taking myself out of the picture, but it didn't work. Do not think for a second, I won't try it again. Only, if that time should come again, I will kill myself, if it will destroy you... I tried asking her about it, but she just ignored it, like it never happened... I'm worried about her, Maria. Really, truly worried." Natalya finished, Maria's face went white. This had Maria concerned too, but for a different reason. She usually had an ability to sense and identify danger. For the longest time, she had felt this foreboding sense of urgency, but she just couldn't place her finger on it.

"Huh... I could see why you'd be concerned, duck." She muttered.

"What?" Natalya asked, caught off guard by the last word.

"I said I could see why you'd be concerned, duck." She repeated, this time with more emphasis on duck. Natalya looked confused for a second. "Duck, Natalya! Duck!" Maria placed her hand on her head and pushed down, just in time for a snowball to wizz right over her head.

"CRAP!" A voice shouted from behind the two Despair's. Maria turned around to see Gale bending over, forming another snowball in her hand.

"Oh, you want to play, huh?" Maria muttered, grabbing a hand full of snow in her palms and forming it into a ball. Natalya watched the two of them play and throw snowballs at one another, but all the while, her mind was elsewhere. Her thoughts kept drifting to something she hoped was just her over-active imagination working it's magic.

-At that moment elsewhere...-

Serras sat on the top of the Guardian Tower, sitting in snow up to her waist. She needed a place to think, a place she could contemplate the previous night's adventures in peace. She had not been there for more then ten minutes, before _she_ returned.

"Serras. Fancy meeting you here. What are the odds?" The voice of the Mage of Despair questioned, a slight chuckle in her voice.

"Pretty good. Considering your in my head." Serras replied, never moving. She turned her head to face the Mage of Despair. The figure was now dressed as she was when she was revived seven years ago.

"Remember this?" She asked, opening her hand showing a scene from her past. "You killed eighteen people that day, all in the span of fifteen seconds."

"_I_ did nothing of the sort. _You _killed those people, not me." Serras responded.

"Not how I remember the townsfolks who survived curse your name, not mine."

"Alright you. Listen up and listen well. You can't control me anymore! I'm stronger then I was! I've found power by myself. And I've out grown you!" She shouted, standing up and looking her in the eyes.

"That's what I want! Anger! Rage! Show me everything, Serras dear! Tell me your true feelings! Confess your hatred for me! Come on, I don't have all day!" The Mage of Despair opened her arms wide. Serras didn't move. She just sat down again.

"No. I won't give you what you want. I won't fall into that trap again. I refuse. I won't let you win." She droned, continuing to stare off into space.

"If you won't Serras dear, the I'll find someone who will. There are plenty of weak-minded people in this world, who'll sell their souls at the first hint of power. Trust me. There are plenty of yous in this world. Plenty of them." The Mage of Despair muttered. "Like that girlfriend of yours, Natalya. She's quite weak of mind. She'd be easy to take and hold. The trick is timing." The Mage of Despair stopped, inhaled deeply then sneered. "Feel that? Taste the power! I can feel my strength returning! Soon, my dear Serras, you'll regret the day you spurned me. I'll find a better host. A stronger host. And then you'll regret everything! Mark my words!"

"Well marked. And they shall be forgotten when you die." There came no response, save for the soft woosh of the wind through the sole woman's hair.

-

Artix had called a most urgent emergency meeting that night. He had informed everyone that the breifing would have to be short, as everyone was to ship out in twenty minutes.

"Now, I know all of you are a bit angry with me at the moment, but I'm sure what I have to say will save me from the lynch mobs, for now at least. Just now, a messenger arrived with a... well, a message saying that a Lolosian fisherman had drawn in a most interesting catch..." Natalya's hand shot up, interrupting him. "They'll be time for questions later, Mrs. Despair."

"Where's Serras?" She asked anyway, noting the empty seat beside her. Everyone, especially her sister, looked about muttering acknowledgments. Artix sighed heavily. It was a sigh of relieved defeat. He inhaled and spoke.

"Serras Nerra, is officially off active duty as a Guardian, and as such, she is still sleeping." He said, leaving much to the imagination.

"By that, you mean you still don't trust her, and you don't want her screwing anything up?" Maria responded.

"Mrs. Despair, it has been seven years since the last time Serras has caused me any immense amount of grief. Even I don't hold seven year grudges. I have removed her from active duty because the situation which brings us here tonight concerns Serras. The object recovered by the Lolosian fisherman was described as an object resembling a Blade of Awe, yet pulsing with evil energies." He paused. "The Blade of Insight." A hush fell across the room. Maria shivered, her body temperature plummeting. Those were words she had hoped never to hear again. Artix continued.

"And as such as this mission involves Serras adversly, Guardian Doctrine dictates that all people close to her are removed from active duty as well, so Natalya, Maria, I don't want you on this one."

"Whoa, whoa, wait, wait..." Maria muttered, standing. "You're taking us off duty?" She asked confused. "With all-due-respect, sir, I could use the vacation, all of us could, but why take just the two of us off? Everyone here has had some run-in or another with Serras. She knows more of us here then most of us know exist."

"Yea!" A Guardian pipped up from the back and standing to be noticed. "Serras rescued me from an Assault Ogre a week back! I owe that woman my life!"

"I saved her hide a while ago!" Orta spoke, standing. "If it weren't for me, she'd be dead and most everyone else here, too."

"Serras taught me how to approach women without shitting myself! She saved my love life!" A fairly recent Guardian addition spoke.

"I don't think I should go into how much I owe her! We'd be here all day!" Rayne spoke. Lizzie stood next to her and nodded. "I mean, without Serras, how many of us would be here today? About half."

"I understand, everyone, that you are all connected in some way to Serras. However, I cannot take all of you off Active Duty. There'd be no one left. So I've opted to take the lesser of two evils, and take the two people closet to her off instead."

"Sir, without us, what happens if everything goes to hell in a handcart? Hypothetically, if the Mage of Despair is back and not just back to return the movie she rented, that would mean their'd be a fight. And if there's a fight, who's gonna stand up? Wolfblitzer? Crystal Lion? Orta?" The three aforementioned stood. "With all due respect sir, Wolfblitzer couldn't save himself from a wet paper bag!" Wolfblitzer nodded, then gave Maria a vicious look. "Crystal Lion... shit, Crystal'd more likely charge head-long into a combat zone and put herself and others in danger." Crystal shyed away, knowing the truth. "And Orta, for fuck's sake, she's a fuggin doctor! Her and her piece'a shit Hypocratic Oath! She would never hurt me if Natalya and I gang-raped her!" Orta covered her face with her hands and sat down, embarrased. "Uh, sorry Orta. Take solice in knowing I have no fantasies about you. But, sir, what I'm trying to say is, if you take Nat and I off active duty... Lore, everything you see around you, will be lost." She sat back down, put her feet on the back of the chair before her and crossed her arms. "And I'm just gonna watch it all burn."

Everyone looked about. Maria, while kind, caring and extremely humorous, also harbored a darker side. She was painfully, brutally blunt. She assessed situations, and told what she saw with the kindness of a two-ton hammer. Artix wasn't stupid. He knew when he was having an argument he was going to loose. He looked about at all the faces which were against him. Finally, defeated, he nodded.

"Alright, Maria. The three of you have just persuaded yourselves back onto the job. For now. But if ANY of you get in over your head, I'll drag your asses back here faster then you can say 'Rumpelstiltskin'. Got it?" He asked, pointing his commanding finger at Natalya and Maria. The two of them nodded and saluted.

"That is one decision you won't regret, sir!" Natalya responded.

"Alright, everyone. Now that you know the situation, suit up and meet outside. We must make haste for Lolosia. No telling what kind of damage could be happening right now... Maria, you're to tell Serras and fill her in, got it?"

"Hai." She responded, leaving. Artix turned to Crystal Lion.

"And Crystal, speak with Warlic. See if he's prefected that Paralasys spell. We may need it. And by 'perfected' I mean perfected. No 'bugs' or 'grinches' okay?"

"Sir!" She saluted and followed Maria's exit path. The other Guardians filed out of the two rear doors in their semi-orderly fasion which was so commonplace.

-Serras' Quarters. Female Dormitories.-

While the Guardians were having their emergency briefing, Serras was having an internal debate with herself. As of late, the Mage of Despair personality which she had been harboring had grown in intensity and strength, managing to push itself to the surface of her mind daily.

"So, have you thought more about my offer, Dear Serras?" The Mage of Despair asked, a smile crossing her face.

"I think we both know the answer to that." Serras responded, pulling her sword from beside her bed and cleaning it.

"Ah, yes. You spent all night last night talking about it with yourself. I heard the entire thing. Quite stimulating. For a moment there, I thought my side would win. I was wrong. Not the first time it's happened. Won't be the last either. You know, I have been doing some thinking myself. What you said this morning, about outgrowing me, you're right." Serras' face went pale.

"I was?"

"Yes, completely. Only, I came to a slightly... different conclusion. I began to think that it wasn't YOU who outgrew ME, but I who outgrew YOU." Serras faced her with a look of shock. "Oh, come now. Don't say it didn't come to a shock to you. You used to be so... fun. It would be just the two of us, out on an adventure. We would come across a defenseless little village, and after a well-spent day of raping and pillaging, we'd return home victorious with the spoils of combat under our arms. Where have those days gone, dear. The answer is, no where. They haven't 'gone' anywhere! They are right here, right now! You just have to accept that what was can be, and what could be, is." Serras shook her head. "What's wrong? Oh, don't say anything. I know why you banished me to the deepest corners of your mind, dear. You were scared. Not of me, you should have nothing to fear from me. You were scared of yourself. You were scared of your lack of self control. You were frightened that if you got even the slightest ounce of power, that someone you love would get hurt, is that it?"

"You're lying. I'm not afraid of power!"

"Then show me you're not! Grab the bull by the balls and hold on, Serras! Show the world what your made of! Show the human race exactly where they stand on the food chain! Cut them to pieces like the fodder they are!"

"SHUT UP!" She shouted. "I'm NOTHING now what I was! I refuse to let you turn me back into a shadow of you! I refuse to be your puppet!"

"THE BE THE PUPPET MASTER SERRAS! GRAB THE STRINGS AND PUT ON A SHOW FOR ALL OF LORE TO SEE! STUN THE AUDIENCE AND MURDER THE REVIEWERS!" The Mage of Despair shouted back at double decible. "You have it in you to be great." She continued, caressing Serras' cheek with a hand. "You just haven't brought it out yet. You haven't found out where they key is for that lock. Find the key and you can unlock power. Power that has laid dormant within you for years. Since your birth. Once you think you've found the key, talk to me. We can start to make planes then." The Mage of Despair vanished. Serras looked about the room, an old poem her mother used to read to her coming to her mind.

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain..." She continued to mutter this for several minutes until a thought hit her. She's grown stronger as of late. The Mage of Despair has laid sleeping for seven years. If anything she'd be weaker, easily taken over. That would allow Serras to tap the Mage's power into her own. Maybe she could control her other self easily, after all. Serras though about wanting to see the Mage of Despair again.

"Have an epiphany, did we?" The voice spoke, a slight chuckle in her tone.

"Yes. I wish this power I had at one point. I want to feel that again."

"I thought you would, dear. I thought you would..." The Mage of Despair leaned in to Serras, placing one hand on her cheek and the other on her waist. "This may be a bit... discomforting." It had all happened so fast. Before she knew quite what was happening, The Mage of Despair had planted a kiss on Serras' lips, and with it, a surge of power coursed though her body. It was like being reunited with a long-lost sibling. After several moments, Serras opened her eyes. The Mage of Despair was gone, but that feeling she had when she saw her remained. Serras put her arm out and flexed it. She had done it. She had the power she used to, but had control of it.

-

Natalya strolled down the corridor, nearing her own room, the one she and Serras shared. After begging Maria to let her fill Serras in, she was on her way to do so. Without so much as a knock, she entered.

"Oh, heya Serras. Sleep well?"

"Yes, actually." Serras responded. "Slept very, very well... Drakonnan..."


	3. Despair Thy Eyes

Chapter Two: Despair Thy Eyes

Natalya had little time to react. Serras had appeared behind her and pulled her into a headlock. All she could let escape was a small squeak.

"I have been waiting a very long time for this, Drakonnan! Don't disappoint me when you die. Scream for me. Even a little." She drew a dagger from her waist and drew it up.

"Whoa! Hello!" Wolfblitzer called, vaulting in through the window. Serras stopped. "I climb my ass seven stories up hoping to catch a glympse of you two makin' out, and I get a fight instead! How... quaint."

"You fool. You're no fighter. Stand aside or die where you stand!" Serras shouted.

"Let Natalya go, Mage girl, and I'll leave peacably." Wolfblitzer replied, standing upright, a smirk crossing his face.

"Your negotiation place is dubious, Wolfblitzer. You have no reason to make demands of me. I shall not let her go."

"Then I'll make you!" He shouted, pulling his sword out. Everyone knew Wolfblitzer had a Blade of Awe, it's just no one knew about his special ability. He placed both hands on the sword's hilt and pulled apart, the blade splitting into two seperate swords. "Ever wonder why Captain Krieger would put up with an idiot like me? Because I actually serve a purpose!"

Wolfblitzer's speed was deceptive. Everyone painted him as the comic relief of the group. No one actually believed he was capable of such fantastic ends. Fantastic, yet dangerous. Taking care not to hit Natalya, Wolfblitzer thrust his right-hand sword towards Serras' exposed side, which was dodged, but just. Needing her other hand to fight, Serras tossed Natalya away and took the sword from the ground and parried the following strike.

"I guess I was wrong about you, Wolfblitzer. Killing you will be most enjoyable!" Serras then turned the tables, going on the offensive. Unfortunately for her, two swords block better then they attack. The male Guardian deflected every single blow like it was a gust of wind. Nimbly, Wolfblitzer jumped over Serras and dug the butts of his swords into her back, knocking her to the ground. He landed and flourished both blades.

"Give up yet?" He smiled and began to dance about in place.

"I do not yeild! But I will withdraw for now. Heed my warning, however. I know what you are capable of now. I shall not fail next we meet." With these few words, she jumped out the window. Wolfblitzer smirked, reformed his swords into one and reholstered it.

"Coward..." He muttered, turning his attention to Natalya. He bent down and looked at her. "Are you okay, Natalya?" He asked, moving her bangs from her face and eyes. Bloodshot and sobbing, she obviously had the look of someone who was scared. Reacting to his touch, Natalya sprung up and grabbed him around the chest holding on. They stood their, her sobbing on his shoulder for several minutes. He simply stood there, stroking her hair and muttering the occasional 'ssh... ssh... it's okay. It's over now...' After a bit, she tightened her grip and cried harder.

The door exploded open. Standing on the other side was Maria, Rayne, Lizzie and Crystal Lion, all with their swords out.

"What the hell happened here?" Crystal questioned, reacting to the shabby state of the room. Maria reacted to Natalya's poor state, running to her.

"Hey, hey, what happened? Natalya, talk to me!" She spoke, trying to get a response.

"It was Serras. More specifically, The Mage of Despair." Wolfblitzer spoke, his voice devoid of his usual perky tone. "I think the Mage of Despair found a way to resurface and take over Serras. I managed to hold her off, but just barely. Any longer, and I would've been turned into a shiskabob. Good thing Natalya helped. Without her, I would've been dead." Natalya stopped crying long enough to look at Wolfblitzer. Even through her tears and blurred vision, she could see him wink quickly then pull away from her long enough for Maria to squeeze in. The younger Despair sister lead the other out, while Rayne advanced.

"You stink, Wolfblitzer." Rayne spoke, sniffing the air around him. "It smells like lie. Have you been lying?" She smiled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Just a little." He replied, flashing the sign of a little, smiling a mile a minute. Rayne left as Maria came back in.

"Thank you, Wolfblitzer. For saving Natalya." She muttered to him. He shrugged.

"Look, Hot Stuff, I already told you! SHE saved ME!" He drew back shrugging hard.

"Psh. Don't give me that. I know when you lie. You got 'liar' written over your face. That, and I can smell it on your breath."

"Am I the only one who has no clue what the hell lies smell like?" He asked, looking about. Maria smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Well... your welcome." He smiled. A loud crash followed by a series of shouts coming from outside interrutped everything. Wolfblitzer and Maria were the first to the window. They looked down to see Serras attacking the massing Guardians. Maria stole a glance from her companion, who returned it with a nod. Unsheathing their swords, the two Guardians vaulted onto the window sill and cracked their necks.

"YEEHAW!" The shouted in unison, jumping seven stories to the chaos below.

Meanwhile, Serras, more specifically, The Mage of Despair was having a blast, sending Guardians and inanimate objects alike hurling into the air willy-nilly, laughing all the way. She looked up in time to see Maria land on her back.

"Booyaka! Headshot, ten points!" She shouted in victory. Serras just tossed her off and stood.

"Ah. Greetings again, Maria. You've no doubt noticed my impending victory over your pathetic little order. I'm glad you could join me for my victory dance!" She shouted. Not long after uddering these words, she grabbed her head, groaned loudly and hunched over.

"Get out of my head you stupid bitch!" A softer voice shouted.

"NO! It's mine! It always has been, and always will!" The Mage of Despair responded.

"You stole it! I want it back you cheap slut!" The other voice called. Maria blinked twice, confused about the situation.

"It may be yours, Serras, but you gave it to me!"

"That's a lie! You took it! You never ask for anything, you just take, take, take! And now I'm taking it back!" Serras shouted.

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" Was the Mage of Despair's answer.

"I don't give a shit about ethics!" This battle of words continued for some time before Maria finally interrupted it.

"Hey! What happened to my fight!?"

"Sorry, sis... give me a second..." Serras growled, trying to regain control. Suddenly, the body stopped, and stood upright.

"Well? Which is it? Serras, or the Mage of Despair?" Maria asked, gripping her sword.

"Serras; for now. Listen, Maria. You have to get me out of here. The Mage of Despair wants to fight you, and you alone. I managed to gain control for mear minutes, but we have to get away from Battleon, or people will die. And I mean a lot of people."

"Alright, but where can we go?"

"Darkovia. At least you have and advantage there, Safiria. Maybe she can help." Again, she started to hunch over. "Dammit! She's fighting back! We have to move, now!"

"But how! Darkovia's a day's walk from here!" Serras lifted her right wrist and pointed to the watch-like thing on it. Mouthing 'ah', Maria punched in a few numbers and activated a portal behind Serras. Standing upright again, Serras laughed.

"Terribly sorry about that interruption. Rest assured it will never happen again. Now, where were we?"

"Alright, who's with me?" Maria asked. Rayne, Lizzie, Trip and Wolfblitzer lined up. "On three. One, two..." On two, the five of them pounced, knocking Serras into the portal behind her. After receiving it's load, the portal closed with a whisp.

"Wadda we do now, Captain?" Orta asked, looking up from a wounded Moon Called. Artix looked around frustrated and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What kind of shit question is that?! We follow them! Quick, to Darkovia!" He shouted, pointing with his right hand. He ran off east.

"Other way, sir!" Crystal Lion shouted behind him. Without stopping, he made an about face and marched west, his serious face never moving.

"I knew that." He muttered as he passed Crystal.

-

Darkovia is a wonder in itself. While still under the effects of planetary rotation, and while it still has a day and night, the forest was constantly blanketed in a thick layer of darkness. The reasonings and explanation of this, blanketed with it. However, just enough light was present to allow par sight. Even artificial light, like that produced by an opening portal, was drowned.

The aforementioned portal opened in a relative clear place of Darkovia, and the six people shot from it like a rocket. Serras and Maria continued to tussle about on the ground while the others stood and reorinted themselves.

After shoving the seafoamed haired woman off of her, Serras jumped up.

"A useless effort, Maria. Equal destruction can happen here as Battleon. It will just take longer." She began to pace about her. "Your skill and strength has dimisnished some since we last met. Pity you will die like a dog, Despair."

"Sorry. I'm more of a..." She crossed her arms in an 'x' in front of her face, and pulled them apart, activating her X-Boost. "Cat person myself." She grinned, the growl evident in her voice."

"Oh, come now. I've learned about that since our last encounter, and know how to counter it." A similar powering sound echoed from four other sources. Wolfblitzer, Rayne, Lizzie and Trip had each activated an X-Boost in turn.

I suppose I should take some time in pointing out the variety in each of the Guardian's X-Boost. While Maria was still the old Catpiredragonguardian that everyone remembered, everyone was slightly different. Wolfblitzer's core feature was that of his namesake, the wolf. He had a long fluffy tail sticking out of his rear. His face, while still human, had several canine aspects, such as whiskers and long, pointed canine teeth. He had pointed dog ears on his head, and a blood-red pair of dragon wings on his back.

Rayne's X-Boost was, by far, the scariest. Instead of some dragon other animal hybrid, her form was that of a cloaked demon with a huge scythe attached to her back. The sleeves of her robe endlessly leaked a steady stream of thick, crimson blood. Where her feet should be, was nothing. It appeared as though she was floating, the torn edge of her robe barely skirting the ground. An icy mist emanated from the hood of the robe.

Trip took the base form of huge, bipedal lizard (One could tell it was a female due to the strictly female features.) Snippits of her Guardian Armor adorned her body, covering her already natural armor. Two horns, which defined her head, seemed to be ablaze with an eerie teal flame, and the ridge down her back glowed with a bright green. A row of sharp teeth in her mouth finished the disquise off nicely.

Lizzie had the least menacing X-Boost of the four, but by far, the most powerful. Her X-Boost took the form of a woman in a long, ice blue flowing dress. Like Rayne, her feet were hidden, and she floated. Her hair was short and ice-blue. The wings on her back were angelic in nature and, like her dress and hair, ice blue. An elaborate necklace adorned her chest. A shaft of dim light emitted from her and shot into the heavens, unphased by the bleak Darkovian sky. The Mage of Despair looked at her opponents. Times have DEFINITELY changed.

"Right then." Maria smirked, her vampiric teeth gleaming in Darkovia's dim moonlight. "Shall we begin?"


	4. Depths of the Human Mind

Chapter Three: Depths of the Human Mind

"I must admit, Maria. Your ability to pick the worst possible place for our matches is impeccable. Well, that is. Worst... for you." She smiled, strafing around some.

"Oh really. How's that, Mage of Despair?" The X-Guardian asked, mimicing her strafe.

"You've given me a shield!" She shouted, reaching back behind a tree and yanking a young girl from behind it. Even past the shrieking, flailing mass, she could see who it was.

"Gale!!" She shouted, her X-Boost deactivating.

"Mom! Mommy! Help!" Gale shouted, waving her arms around wildly.

"_Maria._" Wolfblitzer's voice echoed in her head. "_Distract the Mage of Despair. I'll get Gale back for you. Just... don't let her see me._" His voice faded, as did he.

"What a cowardly thing to do, Mage of Despair. Use a helpless, innocent little girl as a shield? Have you no shame? No sense of honor?" Maria's narrowed. Serras just chuckled. "Think about what you'd be doing before you do anything stupid. Remember seven years ago? You killed Aria then, and what happened? I beat you. And I really don't care much about Aria. We're just friends. Think about this for a moment. What would happen to you if you killed my daughter? Hum? What would stop me from dismembering you in the most painful ways my mind could think of?"

"You'd be killing Serras, and thereby killing the one thing your sister cared about." She responded.

"Psh. It would be so easy to lie about that. I could say that you took your own life, instead of being captured. I love my sister dearly, but she's more gullible then Wolfblitzer. And that's pretty gullible."

"_Hey!_" Wolfblitzer's voice came again.

"_Sorry. Just bare with me._" She told him telepathically. "Trust me, there would bring me no greater pleasure then watching you take your final breath. Don't make me turn my fantasies into reality."

"_Yea, because if you did, your sister would've lost her virginity ages ago._" Wolfblitzer chimed it.

"_Can it, Inu Baka._" She replied. Maria watched said stupid dog sneak up behind the Mage of Despair, who's attention was on Maria, pull a pair of nunchaku out, and wrap the chain around her neck.

"Bingo!" He shouted, turning around, pulling on the nunchaku, causing his target to slide up his back and onto his shoulder. Releasing the hold on her neck, he grabbed her face, bounced her body and brought her down hard on his shoulder. After breaking at least three bones, he pulled her down towards him, kneed her hard in the stomach and pile-drove her into the ground. Gale, by this point was too frightened of Wolfblitzer to move. She simply stood where she was in terror. Wolfblitzer then picked up the Mage of Despair and slammed her into a tree, letting her body fall. Deactivating his X-Boost, he grabbed Gale in his arms and lept the distince between himself and Maria, landing before the original X-Guardian. "Here's your daughter ma'am. Safe and sound." Wolfblitzer announced, putting Gale in Maria's arms. He saluted.

"Ho-oly jesus..." Serras coughed, spittle laced with blood being expelled from her mouth. She leaned up on one wobbly arm and tried to get her bearings straight. "What the fuck happened?" She asked, getting to her feet.

"You've just been Blitzed!" Wolfblitzer gave her the thumbs up followed by a toothy grin.

"Your new catch phrase, I assume?" Rayne chimed form behind. Wolfblitzer nodded.

"Yea, I've been trying to find a decent catch phrase. You know, something cool, yet personal. Kinda like Leeroy's Battle Cry. Only, personalized for me." He put his hand behind his head. "I'm trying to decide between 'You've just been Blitzed' and 'Bah-Ram-Pwnt'." He grinned again, turning back to Serras, who, at this point, was still hurting.

"Are you okay, Gale?" Maria asked the girl in her arms. While still frightened, she felt safer being in her mother's arms.

"Yes. I'm still scared, though..."

"That's okay. I'll take care of this. Wolfblitzer, could you hold Gale for me please?" Maria asked, handing the girl to him.

"Certainly. Just stick close to me, Gale. Nothing bad'll happen to you."

"You're scary too..." She tried to pull away.

"Me? Nah, I'm not scary. According to your mother, I'm a nutter, but not scary. I can do some pretty funny faces. Wanna see?" He smiled.

"You've got a firm pair of balls, Mage. Big, brass balls. You'd have to. For who else would hold my daughter up like a shield? Hum? I'm not happy, Mage of Despair. Ask me why I'm not happy." Maria's face drew stone cold and her lips flatlined. Serras stood, wiped the blood from her mouth and smiled.

"I'll indulge you. Why aren't you happy?" She asked. Maria's face exploded in rage.

"Because I told you never to come back! I banished you from Lore for eternity! Those were our terms, and you broke them! That's why I'm pissed. I'm pissed because I staked myself on the fact you would actually do as you were told for once." She trailed off. After a slight pause, her finger came up, pointing at Serras. "And now that you've broken your word to me, you've lost all faith in me. When I pound you into the ground again, just like I did seven years ago, there will be no bargains, no deals. You will die, and Serras with you if need be."

"Natalya is not as naïve as you believe, Maria. She'll know that you killed Serras. How could you go on with life, knowing you killed your sister? Hum?" The Mage of Despair smiled. Maria's face never budged.

"I don't know. But right now, when it comes down to my sister's benifit, or Lore's, I stand on the side of Lore. Always have, and always will. I love my sister, but I can't support her forever. Sometimes, you have to stab them in the side to make them see the point. A lesson you're going to have to learn the hard way."

"Are you ready to fight me again, Maria? Are you ready to fail, as I did all those years ago?"

"Weak words, Mage girl. You're just a big snake with no teeth at all. Let me get my tazer." Maria muttered. "But prehaps, I have one final propesition left in me for you. Are you willing to hear it?"

"Why not?" Was the response.

"I will offer you the chance to control me. I will allow the Mage of Despair into my head. And if you can gain control. So be it. If not, the torture you will undergo will know no end. I shall be whipping you until the end of my days." The Mage of Despair thought about this. Wolfblitzer didn't hear it, but Gale and the others did.

"Maria! Think about what you're saying! If she gains control, Lore'll be at an end!"

"I know what I'm doing, Rayne! I'm not a baby, I don't need you mothering me!" She shouted back.

"I accept your offer!" Was the response. "Although, I have to admit, I'll miss the old body. She was so... weak..."

"I think you'll find me a bigger challange."

"If you want to get on with this, I suggest you get closer..." Maria did as she was told, drawing closer to Serras. Soon, they were but a hair's inch away, Maria standing mear inches taller. Almost as if she were drawing her last fleeting seconds of pleasure from Serras' body, the Mage of Despair took her time to flirt a little with Maria before pulling her into a kiss.

She'd had better. Either it was Serras, or the Mage of Despair, but one of them was a terrible kisser. It was comparable to that first uneasy, friendly kiss she had shared with Safiria all those years ago, only five times more awkward, and fifty times longer. After what seemed like an eternity with her eyes closed, Maria finally snapped them open.

Instead of the dead, cold atmosphere of Darkovia, she was standing in a white, featureless area. While she couldn't quite figure out how she did it, she knew what she did.

"What is the meaning of this?!" A familiar voice barked. She turned about to see a fairly attractive woman chained to a plush chair.

"Comfortable?" Maria mused. The woman scowled. "Ironic, isn't it? How we are equal strength, so neither of us can control my body. And thus, here we are, locked in the confines of my mind. It's kind of... blank really." Maria chuckled. Here she was, walking the halls of her own mind, trapped with, at her best guess, the Mage of Despair. "Now, why don't we get something over with, hum? My name is Maria Despair. What's yours?" She asked, taking a kneel before the woman.

"My birth name I tell no one." She scowled in response, pulling her head sharply away. Her voice was slightly softer then Maria remembered it. Maybe this is what the Mage of Despair really was.

"Aw... come on. We're roommates now. Might as well come clean. Why are you doing this?" A heavy sigh escaped the woman's lips. Defeated, she answered.

"My given name was Alexis Strauss. I was born to my parents, Max and Agatha Strauss over seven hundred years ago." She muttered, still looking away.

"There. See, not too difficult, is it? Now, why don't you tell me what happened to you, Alexis."

"You want to know the truth, huh?" Alexis asked, looking at Maria. She nodded. "Fine. Then the truth I shall tell you..." She began the story of her life.


	5. Mage Squared

Mage Squared

Four

"I never really knew my parents much." She began, settling in the chair. "You see, my first memory was when I was eight. My father had gone off to serve in the first Drakel War. Drafted, I believe. Well, during my father's tour of duty, my mother shut herself in her room and pretty much never came out. I found myself eating at my friend's house nearly every day. I didn't mind that so much, but I did mind never seeing my mother. So, one day, curiosity got the better of me, and I went to see my mother.

"When I went in, I found her hanging from the rafters with a note in her hand. It turns out, that my father was killed in the war, and the grief of it all was too much, so instead of being thankful for the memory of him, and for what she still had, she felt it better to slay herself. I was nine at this time. Of course, I had attributed my mother's death to my father's death, and my father's death to the Drakel. One of the many mistakes I would make in my life. After my mother was found dead, I was adopted by a family of mages. They took me in and taught me all the basics of magic. Of course, I learned faster then they would have liked, and craved more.

"Well, I decided to take matters into my own hands, once I learned they had no intention of teaching me anything except how to make petty sparks, and to summon Ice Cream Dragon Eggs. I wanted more. So I took the liberty to delve into my foster father's more... dark spell scrolls. A few of them were weak spells. Mind control, ESP, the like. I wanted the spells so forbidden, that it was illeagle to even know about them. I found one. I found a scroll which detailed how to become immortal. Unfortunately, my Foster Father found me before I could read it. He had intended on reporting my actions to the villiage elder.

"He left me no choice, you understand." A smile crossed her face. "After... relieving myself of that burden, I took my foster father's scrolls and trekked off into the harsh Darkovian wilderness, ready to begin my studies. I was ten by the time I finished. With my newfound knowledge in hand, I set off to find the cause of all my grief. The Drakel. Over the course of the next five years, I hunted them til near extinction. The only city to escape my wrath, you ask? Ren-T'kak, the very Super City you survived, only to destroy for me. I thank you for that, by the way. Satisfied that my revenge had been complete, I went back into seclusion, honing my already unimaginable skill. At the age of sixteen, I was able to finally complete the ritual to make myself immortal. Unfortunately, my inexperience shown through. The ritual failed, and exploded, my body destroyed in the process. However, I was able to attain a Lich-like status by sealing the crumbling remains of my memories and soul within my father's sword which I carried with me.

"Heavens know how long I stayed in that cave until the sword was found. By guess who? Our dear friend, Serras Nerra. At first, I was unable to even recognize her. But, as I began to waken from my torpor state, I could begin to feel alive again, like I had a body. That is how I gained control of her. But, the Lich-like state had corrupted my mind and morals, turning me into an engine of destruction, something I was unable to avoid.

"After a bit of a spat with Serras' sister, she sealed the pair of us in a crystal, and viola! Here I am." She finished, looking at Maria, who she expected not to be listening. But on the contrary.

"I see. So... It is safe to assume your problems, and subsequent degradation into destructive insanity was all caused by lack of parental influence, yes?" Maria muttered. Alexis thought before answering.

"Yes, I suppose that is correct."

"Right. I'm going to gain control of myself and see what the hell is happening outside, mkay?" Without waiting for a response, Maria attempted to regain control of her body.

"Hey! She's coming too!" Natalya's voice came.

"Next question. Who is it?" Wolfblitzer's voice responded. Maria felt Wolfblitzer's hot breath on her forehead.

"Will you stop breathing on me, dog boy?" She shouted.

"It's Maria!" Wolfblitzer grinned. Rayne sighed, relieved. The X-Guardian helped her older, green-haired friend up.

"So, what happened in there?" Lizzie asked. All four of them had their X-Boost deactivated. Wolfblitzer still clutched Gale at his heart. Maria took Gale from Wolfblitzer's arms and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"Very, very long story. How are you, sweetie?" Maria cooed to Gale, who only gripped her tighter and smiled, purring slightly. "Rayne. I need a huge favor..." Maria spoke. Rayne listened intently.

-

Maria re appeared inside her head what felt like to Alexis days later.

"Mommy!" Alexis shouted to Maria, struggling against the chains. "I... I can't move, mommy... I can't move..." In the Guardian's absence, Alexis' mind had actually degraded to that of the mental capacity of a seven year old girl. She was frightened and alone. "Why can't I move, mommy?" Maria understood this and, instead of trying to get the old Alexis back, simply played along.

"I know, sweetheart, I know. Some bad men did this to you. But don't you worry, I'll make it all better..." Maria cooed, stroking the girl's hair. She relaxed at the attention. "But I need you to do me a favor, okay, honey?"

"Okay mom..." Alexis replied, trying to sound brave.

"I'm going to go out for a bit longer. I need you to stay here an be brave for me, okay?" Maria responded. "Can you do that for me?"

"I... I think so. But be fast, okay?" Alexis responded, swallowing hard.

"I will." Again, Maria regained control of her body.

-

"Confound it, Rayne! Do you know how heavy my scroll collection _is_?" Warlic's voice came.

"Yes, dammit, I do. Now stop your moaning and get everything out!" Rayne barked in her commanding tone. Warlic growled loudly and popped open his truck.

"Warlic? Ah, good." Maria yawned. "Listen, I need to call in a solid 'you owe me'." Maria got to her feet and went to the Mage's side.

"I owe you? Uh, Maria, I don't owe you squat. All my debts to you have been paid off..." Warlic responded, pressing a finger to his cheek.

"Ren Tkak." Maria replied monotonously. Warlic hung his head and swore loudly.

"Okay, there is that. What do you need, dear?" He smiled. Maria inhaled.

"I need the incantation to Seed of Life." Warlic's face went blank.

"No." He stated firmly, turning to walk away. Maria grabbed his shoulder.

"Warlic! I need it now!"

"No. No! A thousand times no! Do you have even the faintest clue what Seed of Life could do to you, let alone the subject, should you get even the slightest syllable incorrect?" He shouted, waving his arms wildly in the air.

"Yes. Now hand it over."

"Um... for those of us who have no clue to what you mean... what is Seed of Life?" Rayne asked, raising a finger.

"Void Magic." Warlic responded cleanly. "Extremely _potent_ Void magic. Very strong, very dangerous. Lords of old used to invoke it to decimate opposing armies. The problem lies in its side effects and consequences."

"Every magical spell on Lore has a side effect and a consequence for its use. Most share the same side effect as others, we loose a bit of our connection with the magical world. If we loose it all, we die. Most drain a users physical strength as a consequence, and the more we use a power, the more it drains from the user. Accruing interest for mages. But Seed of Life is different. Ever heard of black magic, kid?" Maria finished where Warlic left off.

"Yea." Lizzie chimed in. She, like Rayne didn't know any of this.

"Seed of Life isn't just Black Magic. It is the magical embodiment of Black Magic. The spell wasn't created to reflect the term, the _term_ was created to reflect that _spell_." Maria finished, a grim look crossing her face.

"What does it..." Wolfblitzer started.

"It has the power to revert the caster's target to a younger age. Be it teenager, child, toddler, or even fetus. It will also slow the target's aging process by half. Potent, potent shit."

"Why is it black magic then? I'd love to use that on Rayne. She'd be mine forever..." Lizzie chimed in.

"NO!" Maria barked back. "You don't UNDERSTAND!" She grabbed her head with her hands. "Lizzie. Side effect and consequence. Remember them? Well, Seed of Life isn't exempt. Only it's side effect is devastating. It's consequence... there is no word to describe it..." She exhaled. "Side effect. Seed of Life will increase the caster's aging cycle by two fold. Every time a year passes, the body thinks two have. Think about it, Lizzie! Over the hill at twenty five! Alzheimer's at thirty! Crippled by fourty, dead by fifty." Maria trailed off. After recomposing herself, she stood and continued. "Consequence. While _giving_ the target twenty... thirty years to their life... it _takes_ the same from the caster. You loose everything... the prime of your life... gone in a brilliant, yet stupid flash. But of course, it also has the fourth, and most rare pillar of magic. Aftershock. Not only do you loose years from your life, but your memories as well. You'd be a seventy year old, incapable of even basic speech. A hermit... an old, mute, brain-dead for all accounts, hermit. Not the life I'd like, personally, but if it's the only way to save Alexis and Lore, I'll take it. My life is a small price to pay for peace." She finished. She then began to mutter the Magical Cycle. "Cause... Side Effect... Consequence... Aftershock... Cause..." She continued.

"I won't give it to you, Maria. Don't bother asking again..." Warlic started.

"I'M NOT ASKING, GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!" She shouted in his face. "I'm telling you to fucking give it to me!" Tears were streaming down her face, caused by an unknown sadness.

"No." Warlic turned around and began to walk away. He heard metal grinding against metal, and felt cold steel against his neck, the hum of an enchanted sword buzzing in his ear.

"I will kill you and take it off your body, Warlic, don't think I won't." Maria droned, her hand extended with her Blade of Awe pressed to his neck. He chuckled.

"Maria. You're precious, really you are. I love you like my own daughter. Don't make a mistake that would make me kill you." He turned around the face her. Her eyes were redder then normal, more bloodshot then anything. Her lower lip was shaking some, tears hanging on for dear life on her eyelashes. Seeing her depressed rage, Warlic sighed. "I will not give it to you. I will not sell it to you. I will not trade it to you. I will not let you steal it. I will not leave it where you can find it. But I will let you know the incantation in exchange for a promise from you."

"Anything." She sniffled. Warlic opened his robes and drew out a bound scroll, sealed shut with black, glicening wire. He placed his hands over the wire.

"_Sor Miratara Kah_." She mused, the wire bursting into flames and disintegrating. He placed the scroll in Maria's hands, but didn't let go. "If you take this, you offer me a promise of my choosing."

"Anything." Marias repeated.

"You take this, knowing full well that you will never, _never_ ask me for _anything_ ever again. Understand me?" His voice was awkwardly stern, something uncharacteristic of his usual cheery, happy disposition. Maria tugged slightly, taking it from him. She smiled, nodded and whispered something. "And for the love of everything that is sweet and decent do _NOT_ mis-pronounce _anything_, _ANYTHING_! You get me, don't you DARE mispronounce anything, Maria Setsuna Despair. Don't you dare mispronounce anything..." He finished, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his robe.

-

Maria reappeared inside her own head, Alexis still chained to the chair.

"Mommy! I've been brave, just like you wanted... I haven't cried... even when the bad men came." Alexis sniffled slightly, drying her eyes.

"I know you have, honey. You've been very brave. Now, I'm going to help you, okay?" Alexis nodded. She stood, and pried the scroll open. A heavy musty air smell assailed her nose, nearly knocking her over. A whisp of smoke raced for freedom before fizziling into nothing. The scroll was lengthy, the incantation, ever bit as much. She held the paper at mid-arms length and began to speak.

"_Son Viera Sytakaran. HyZun Nuphara Zek. Fiem Dos Griggnatch Nyhapad_..." As the words were spoke, they vanished from the scroll, bursting into flames and disintegrating into nothing. Alexis listened to Maria speak the words from the scroll and, almost instictively, she began to doze into a slumber.

Halfway down the decaying parchement, the words began to dance about on the page, making reading them, let alone speaking them, difficult, however, Maria persevered.

"_Siara! TurakGa Tyuarim Evictos EporaZaa!_" She shouted as they grew larger in print. The last phrase couldn't come soon enough. "_Ie Beae Drackculacs!_" As the words were spoke, the parchment burst into green fire in her hands and was gone. She looked up to get knocked back by a very powerful pressure wave. The next she opened her eyes, she was staring at the empty eye sockets of her old friend.

"Well, well, well..." Death spoke, twirling his Scythe in his hand, his toothy, lifeless mouth curling into a smile. "Have a little... accident, did we?" He chuckled, pulling Maria up.

"Of sorts, yes." Maria responded, rubbing her eyes. "I goofed, didn't I?" She continued.

"Oh, no. You spoke that spell quite fluently, considering your complete ineptitude in Old Elven." Death responded, looking her over.

"Yea, well, there's a first time for everything. How many favors do I owe you, Death?" She asked, cracking her back.

"At last count, fifty three. But, I'm afraid, Maria, there's a hitch."

"Oh?" The Guardian responded. "What kind of 'hitch' is that?"

"The one where you can't go back." Death responded. He tossed his Scythe up into the air, catching it on it's way down. "You see, you used Void Magic. Void. Void Magic is a big no-no, Maria. With Void Magic comes severe consequences. You see, after the first Drakel War many years ago, Seed of Life was cursed, so to speak. It was used so frequently, it decimated thousands of men, and ruined more men's lives. So after the war ended, Seed of Life was cursed to take the life of the caster, regardless of how well they spoke it. An eye for an eye, of sorts. More or less, anywho. There are some loopholes which could be exploited, but the odds of that are low."

"What kind of loopholes?" Maria asked.

"Well, I was told, and I quote: "Any man not drawing breath from this plain, Any man on this land baned, Any man devoid of greed, From my spell shall be freed." Kinda catchy, really." Death chuckled.

"Crypic-y." Maria smiled.

"Yes, quite. Let's go." He responded quickly, turning to lead Maria into the Void.

"Wait a tick." Death stopped and sighed.

"No use delaying the envitable, Maria. Let's go."

" 'Any mand not drawing breath from this plain...'" She muttered to herself. She put her hand over her mouth in thought. Something caught the back of her mind. " 'Any man on this land baned...'" She muttered again, recalling something someone said ages ago. " 'Any man devoid of greed... Holy shit!" Maria exclaimed, jumping up.

"Whaat?!" Death moaned, tired of delays. "Delay, delay, delay, that's all you do, Maria, delay."

"I don't have to die!" She smirked.

"We covered this already. VOID. MAGIC. YOU USE. YOU DIE!" He spoke firmly and loudly, so even a deaf man could hear him.

"Yes, but that little cryptic riddle? I fit it." Death chuckled at this, his chuckle progressing to a deep, belly laugh.

"Oh, really? How do you figure?"

"Think about it. I'm a vampire. I don't need to breath. However, it's said a torpor'd Vampire can have new life breathed into him through blood." She put a finger up. "Captain Krieger told me seven years ago, that while I would still be served and housed in Battleon, I was not welcome, _because_ I was a vampire. I'm tolerated, but not welcome. They, in essence, banished me." She put a second finger up. "And finally, I didn't use it for personal gain. I used it to help someone. So, I'm free from the spell." Death thought about Maria's points for a moment before replying.

"God damn, _mother fucking_ LOOPHOLES!" He shouted, slamming his head into his Scythe, grumbling between hits "_STUPID_." and "_FUCKING RULES AND REGULATIONS!_" and the occasional "_WHY GOD?! WHY DO YOU HATE ME!?_". Maria smiled, twirled on one heel and clapped.

"Woo hoo!"

"Fine... go... get outta here. Get the HELL outta my domain. I never want to see your attractive, red-eyed, green-haired face in here again, so long as I wear the Daddy Robes, okay? Just NEVER die again, or so help me I will forget I have a soul quota!" Maria spun around again, grabbed the brim of an invisible hat on her head, and moon-walked out to the portal.

"Is she alive?" A familiar voice breathed.

"I dunno. Poke her and find out." Another voice droned.

"Hum..." The first seemed to draw closer.

"Kiss me and you die, Dog Boy." Maria droned, keeping her eyes close.

"Waaaathat's NONSENSE, Maria. I would think of no such thing! You have the worst opinion of me!"

"Well? What happened?" Rayne asked, helping Maria up.

"Uh... I won. Twice. I managed to loophole my way out of dying permanently. Again. All in all, life's hovering somewhere around... swell." Maria replied, shaking her head.

"And the Mage of Despair?" Lizzie questioned.

"MIA at the moment. But still looking."

"Maria?" Warlic's voice came. Maria faced the mage. "I'm glad you're still alive."

"Yea, I am too."


	6. Niaga Evil Yromem Eht Tel

!Niaga Evil Yromem Eht Tel

Five

"So, where's my scroll, Maria?" Warlic asked, poking the X-Guardian's back.

"Look, Warlic. I already told you. It disintegrated when I spoke the enchantment. I didn't loose it, persay, I just don't have it." She replied, continuing on down her way. Rayne looked about, a question on her mind, the facts visible about her brow.

"Just one thing gets me as odd, thought." She spoke. Everyone looked at her as they walked through the trees. "What happened to the Mage of Despair?"

"Well, it's like I said, the spell took effect, and she gained years on her life. But, what you probably mean is, where is she? Well, like any growing human, she needs some carrier to allow her the normal gestation period of a human child. Who it is, I can't say, but I do know who it isn't."

"Oh, really?" Lizzie replied. Maria nodded. "And who's that?"

"Well, first, you have to understand the physics behind possession. When someone possesses someone else, they plant themselves in their subconscious, much like planting a tree. When it's young, a tree is easy to uproot, and when you do, it's equally easily re-planted. However, the longer someone stays in their host's subconscious, they become progressively more anchored, and transversely, they become harder to uproot, and very difficult to re-plant when they are uprooted. I don't think Alexis can re-plant herself in Serras. She was too entrenched in her to start, so Serras is out of the question. I don't think she'll re-plant in me, since I could hold so much control over her. AND, I think we can rule out over eighty percent of Lore, since they didn't know Serras personally. She'd probably implant herself in familiar territory. Maybe Aria, or even Captain Krieger." Maria finished, weaving between trees.

"Cool. So, even Rayne and I?"

"Mehbeh." She responded, putting her hands behind her head. "But for now, let's just head home. I'm hungry.

-Battleon-

"Congratulations, everyone!" Captain Krieger announced as the four X-Guardians stepped into his office. His face was adorned with a huge grin. "Once more, your actions have diverted a major catastrophe. And, once more, you prove to me that you are vital boons to Battleon and, all of Lore. Your rewards are waiting downstairs. Enjoy." He saluted, and dismissed them.

"I hope it's chocolate!" Rayne grinned widely, rushing down the stairs. They had all filed into the dining hall, where the usual dinner for all the Guardians was housed. It was late, and dark, moonlight streaming into the hall. The majority of the tables had been cleared earlier.

"Oh, man! We missed it! I don't want to go to bed hungry…" Maria moaned, gripping her growling stomach.

"Hey, look!" Wolfblitzer shouted, pointing at several of the cooks bringing out more food.

"FUD!" Rayne shouted, dashing towards them. "Is this for us?" She asked. The cook nodded and put it on the table.

"We know you missed dinner, so Captain Krieger had us make up another batch. Honestly, I'm glad he did. There was a bunch of spare ingredients, and they'd go bad otherwise. Dig in!" The woman responded.

"WOOHOO!" Rayne shouted sitting down next to a hunched over woman.

"Would you calm down… yer makin' ma head hurt..." The woman droned, shifting her weight about in the chair.

"You're a snobby pants today!" Lizzie poked the woman.

"Mugph." She replied, sitting up. It was Natalya.

"Wow, sis, you look like shit." Maria muttered, sitting next to her sister. "You sick or something?"

"I think. My head hurts... ma stomach is all queasy. I'm naustious, and I generally feel like shit. My stomach feels like I got a frickin' horse kicking it... from the inside..." Maria put her hand on Natalya's stomach.

"Well, that might have something to do with something is kicking you." Maria smiled, a slight chuckle escaping her lips.

"Whawho?"

"Natalya, I don't think I know of a better way of putting this, but... I don't think your sick."

"What else could it be, Maria? Being Heartbroken?"

"Good guess, but no. You're perfectly well. You're just pregnant." A dread silence passed over the room. Lizzie choked on a lima bean, Rayne froze with a who chicken leg jammed in her mouth, and Trip looked fit to be tied.

"Really?" Natalya asked. Maria nodded.

"Well, that's a hoot! I didn't think you COULD get pregnant, being a..." Wolfblitzer caught a glympse of Maria's stern look and corrected his statement. "Woman who has absolutely no romantic feelings towards the opposite gender whatsoever..." Maria smiled, watching Wolfblitzer look about. "I still don't see what the problem is just saying dyke!" He shouted, throwing his arms up.

"It's very derogatory. We prefer either lesbian, or..." Lizzie started, Wolfblitzer interrupting her.

"Car..."

"I swear to GOD, Wolfblitzer don't you say that!!"

"Cardiovascular System!" He quickly corrected, laughing nervously. Maria gave him the 'I've got my eye on you!' stare. "Yea, that's what I was gonna say. Use either the term 'lesbian', or 'Cardiovascular System'. Yea..." He began eating again, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone of the opposite gender.

"Well, Natalya. At least you can stop being jelous of me!" Natalya looked up. "After all, you've always told me you wanted a daughter."

"How do you know it's a girl, Maria. What are you not telling me that you should?" Natalya groaned.

"I think Alexis is a nice name..." She started, putting her hand on her chin and walking off. "Yea... Alexis. I like that name. I'd say Maria, but that's my name, and it be kinda creepy to have Maria One and Maria Two... Yea, let's stick with Alexis..."


	7. Nothing Like Frostvale lEpiloguel

Nothing Like Frostvale

Epilogue

Maria crept up behind her oblivious sister as she strode down the corridors. It had been almost three days since the Mage of Despair had finally disappeared forever. Seed of Life was certainly Void Magic. Unpredictable as a Frostvale snowstorm. The woman held in her arms, a small bundle wrapped in blankets.

"Worst three days of my life." Natalya muttered sensing Maria's presence. The younger Despair sister sighed defeated.

"Why do you say that? People have always told me that pregnancy is the best time of a woman's life." Maria responded, walking next to her sister.

"Yea, if you like carrying thirty extra pounds around your waist for nine months."

"So, have you decided on a name, yet?" Maria asked after the insuing silence. Natalya smiled and nodded.

"I think we have, actually. Serras and I spoke it over last night... and I think we both like Sage."

"Sage?!" Maria asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sage? Like... Sage...?" She muttered. She looked down at young Sage. "Hope you have good memories of her as a baby. She'll grow like a weed till she's about six. It's like a sugar rush. Real great at first, then you slug about for the rest of your life." She smiled. "I figure she'll reach Gale's age in about... oh, a week."

"A week?!" Natalya asked. Maria nodded.

"Yup. It's complicated, but Seed of Life, if the target reverts to a child or younger, their age growth is accelerated until about six."

"Remind me never to take your advice again, Maria."

"Okie dokie."

-Two Weeks Later-

"Kawaii Neko!" An older Sage shouted to Wolfblitzer.

"I'm not a cat!" He replied, continuing to walk down the corridor.

"Kawaai Neko!" Sage repeated, following Wolfblitzer.

"I'm not a cat!!" He repeated, trying to loose Sage.

"Kawaii Neko!" She shouted once more.

"I'm not a freakin' cat!" Wolfblitzer and Sage continued their 'Kawaii Neko' and 'I'm not a cat!' game for several minutes as they walked to the dining hall, ready for Frostvale dinner. They came into the hall, with everyone sitting around the table.

"Mommy, where's everyone? They're not usually this late..." Gale muttered, looking at the empty chairs.

"I don't know, dear. Knowing Rayne, she's probably not dressed yet. THAT, or Lizzie is having another hairband delemma." Maria smiled, remembering the time Lizzie got attacked by a re-animated hair ribbon, which proceeded to tie her up and begin several... actions which should just be best left at 'kinky'. Maria turned and went to break Wolfblitzer and Sage's ensuing fighting. "Hey! Break it up, Kitty!" She shouted, pushing Wolfblitzer away, a greeting which was returned with a very enraged 'I'm not a freakin' CAT!'.

"Kawaii Neko!" Sage shouted one last time.

"SERRAS!" Wolfblitzer shouted. "Tell you daughter I'm not a freakin' cat!" He muttered to her. Serras paused, giving Sage a death stare.

"Now, Sage. You should know better. 'Kawaii Neko' is not proper notation for Wolfblitzer. You should say 'Baka Neko'.

"I'M NOT A CAT!" He bellowed, emphasis on the 'not' and 'cat' bits. Gale sighed, staring down at her watch, looking on as the seconds ticked by.

"Where could she be?" She wondered, tapping the crystal face of the watch. "This is new... she's never been late..." Before she could finish her statement, a pair of hands covered her eyes. Gale smiled.

"Terribly sorry about being late." A voice came from behind Gale. The girl took hold of the wrists and pulled them from her eyes, turning in her chair to see a pair of Amethyst eyes, a slight twinge of emerald gleaming off the surface. Her hair was short, her bangs unruly, highlighted with a bright fire red color.

"KAY!" Gale shouted, pouncing on her friend. "It's okay, you're forgiven." Gale's friend was Kira Anasi, or Kay as Gale and just about everyone else, save her parents Rayne and Lizzie, called her. "We better get going, Kay, or we're going to be late."

"Yea. My parents don't mind being late, but Mrs. Despair doesn't like waiting. She's impatient." Kay rapped her knuckles against one another, popping them in sequence.

"Uh..." Gale muttered, looking about. She leaned in closer and whispered. "Which one? Aunt Natalya, or mom?" Kay laughed and tossled Gale's hair.

"Both of 'em. The pair of them don't know the definition of 'wait'. Come on, let's go, my little, potent Nightingale. We must make haste, and get to the food before Alex and Sage!" Kay pointed towards the west, dashing off heroically.

"Other way!" Gale hollared towards her. Kay made an about-face and marched past Gale, hiding her embarrasment.

"I knew that..." Kay muttered as she passed Gale, who laughed slightly.

"What's the hurry? Knowing those two, their too busy to sort out which tongue belongs to who, to even think about foods." Gale droned, using her mother's term for food. Kay about bust her gut open laughing.

Upon arriving in Aria's shop, where Frostvale dinner was being held, they were most surprised to find Alexis and Sage already sitting there.

"BOOYAKA!" Sage shouted as the walked in. "I told you they'd be the last ones in! I freakin' TOLD you!" She jumped out of her seat and did a very cheesy victory dance.

"Sit down you great fool. You're embarrasing yourself and me." Alexis droned, grabbing Sage's shoulder and pulling her down.

"Well I'll be a Ninja Monkey's uncle! They actually beat us!" Kay droned, rubbing her fingers through her hair. "We honestly thought the pair'a you would be too busy trying to cover the hickies." Kay, a very blunt girl for her age, droned, a smile crossing her face.

"Oh!" Alexis barked quickly, grasping her shirt over her heart. "Such words do wound me! Thou hast no faith in the faithless... To die... to sleep!" She shouted, standing, hand still over her heart, and began stumbling about in an overly-dramatic fashion. She collapsed to the ground, playing dead.

"Uh... well, we DO spend an unhealthy amount of time together, Alex." Sage muttered, poking Alex.

"Shhh! Don't give them ammo!" Alex whispered.

"True."

"Yea, well..." Alex started, standing. She began to think. "You're name's a letter!" Alex pointed to Kay.

"That's, actually a pretty pathetic retort, Alex. Try again."

"Well, you're a..." The argument continued for some time, the pair of them trying to top each other's barbs.

It continued for five more minutes before a piercing whistle interrupted them. Everyone stopped and covered their ears.

"Oh god!" Alex shouted, falling to the ground. "I'm deaf!"

"Na, that was just Safiria. She's got the tongue to do that kinda thing." Wolfblitzer replied, grabbing his cutlery. "I wish they'd hurry up. I'm hungry."

"Aw... is u a hungwy kittie? Does the hungwy kitty want some miwk to settle the stomach-womach?"

"You talk to me like that one more time, and I'll show you why they call me Wolfblitzer!"

"Yea, it's a whole lot better then Angelica..." Gale muttered, nearly inaudible, her hand covering the majority of her mouth.

"I heard that, Gale Despair! You may be Maria's daughter, but I know a few ways around the system! I'll get you!" He pointed his knife threateningly at her. She pulled her right eye lid down and stuck her tongue out, giving him an emphatic 'Mmmmblah!' "Oh, that's IT!" He shouted, getting violently out of his chair, brandishing the knife, and began chasing Gale.

"MOM! WOLFBLITZER'S CHASING ME AGAIN!" Wolfblitzer stopped mid stride, slid to a stop and rushed back to his seat, nearly falling over himself.

"That's a lie! That's a lie and you know it! She's spreading lies about me!" He shouted back.

"Stop your bickering and get ready for foods. Who's hungry?" Maria replied, stepping from the kitchen.

"ME!" Everyone shouted, jumping up. As they sat down and started eating, the same thought crossed Sage's mind as Gale's.

'_There's nothing, quite like Frostvale_.'


End file.
